The MG Q-type, sometimes called the MG QA, was a racing car produced by MG in 1934. It combined a narrowed K3 chassis with a small supercharged engine and was one of the most powerful cars of its size in the world at the time.
MG Q-type at a glance
| Maker | MG, Abingdon |
|---|---|
| Production | 1934 |
| Chassis | based on the K3, narrower, with N-type axles |
| Engine | 746 cc four, P-type block and special crankshaft |
| Supercharger | Zoller, at 2.5 atmospheres boost |
| Power | 113 bhp at 7,200 rpm; 146 bhp in sprint form |
| Specific output | close to 200 bhp per litre, the highest in the world at the time |
| Price | £550–£650 |
| Built | probably eight, possibly nine |
| Brooklands | 122 mph (196 km/h) lap in the single-seater |
| Two-seater top speed | 120 mph (190 km/h) |
History of the MG Q-type
Chassis and engine
The Q-type’s chassis was based on the one used by the K3 but was narrower and used N-type axles. The engine took the cylinder block of the P-type with a special crankshaft that reduced the stroke from 83 to 71 mm, bringing capacity down to 746 cc. A high-pressure Zoller supercharger running at 2.5 atmospheres of boost allowed the engine to produce 113 bhp at 7,200 rpm.
A sprint version raised output to 146 bhp, which at nearly 200 bhp per litre was the highest specific output of any engine in the world at the time. The combination of a small, highly boosted engine and a rigid-axle chassis made the car difficult: the frame had trouble dealing with the power, and the design was expensive.
Racing record
Probably only eight Q-types were built, although the historian Michael Sedgwick states nine, at £550 to £650 each. The single-seat version achieved a lap speed of 122 mph at Brooklands driven by George Harvey-Noble, while the two-seater was capable of 120 mph.
The Q-type was the last of MG’s pre-war supercharged racing specials in this line, following the K3 that had won its class at the Mille Miglia and finished fourth at Le Mans. Its shape proved influential long after production ended, and many ‘specials’ have since been built on T-type chassis to mimic the style of the Q-type body.
Design and features
- Zoller supercharger: high-pressure boost of 2.5 atmospheres.
- High specific output: 146 bhp from 746 cc in sprint trim.
- Narrowed K3 chassis: with N-type axles at the rear.
- Two body styles: a single-seater and a two-seater racing body.
MG Q-type versions
- Q-type (1934): the standard racing car with 113 bhp.
- Sprint version: 146 bhp from the same 746 cc engine.
- Single-seater: the car that lapped Brooklands at 122 mph.
- Two-seater: capable of 120 mph.
The Q-type was developed from the K3 Magnette racer and shared its engine family with the P-type; more cars are in the MG collection.
Sources
- MG Q-type, English Wikipedia: chassis, engine, power output, production and records
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